Riot

Rethink IoT News ATW 216: Around The Web Roundup

The global smart home market will be worth $97.61bn in 2025, according to Transparency Market Research, growing at a CAGR of 14.6% from $30.02bn in 2016.

Industrial robotics sales reached 380,550 units in 2017, up 29% compared to 2016, according to the International Federation of Robotics.

The demand-response market will hit $3.5bn by 2025, according to Frost & Sullivan, propelled by enabling IoT technologies, growing from $900m in 2017.

// Hardware //

Artosyn has licensed CEVA’s XM4 machine-vision processor IP, for use in an embedded AI SoC – the AR9X01. Artosyn specializes in drones and robotics SoCs.

Silicon Labs is showing off a new version of its Wireless Gecko SoC, which features a single-chip system for Bluetooth LE in 2.4GHz and other sub-GHz protocols.

Microchip has unveiled a new power line communication (PLC) modem that it says will support multiple standard and proprietary protocols under 500kHz – for global apps.

Microsoft’s E2 processor architecture has made headlines, as more details leak out from the secretive project – an apparently radical departure from ARM or Intel’s x86 approaches.

// Networks, Protocols, & Wireless //

AT&T has ended its hold-out, and announced that it will deploy NB-IoT services in the US and Mexico, planning to launch next year. It had previously been quite reluctant.

Thinxtra has announced 90% coverage of Hong Kong, for its Sigfox roll-out, adding that pricing could start from “as little as” $20 per device per year.

Wirepas has won a deal with Fujitsu Components, which will see Fujitsu integrate Wirepas’ Mesh software into its new hardware, for low-power 2.4GHz mesh networking capabilities.

// Big Data, Cloud, AI, and Machine-Learning //

The Industrial Internet Consortium has unveiled a new paper, advising readers on the potential benefits of edge computing. A technical report will soon follow.

The Industrial Internet Consortium has also announced its new Optimizing Manufacturing Processes by AI (OMPAI) testbed, led by Wanxiang Group and Thingwise.

IBM has demonstrated Project Debater, an AI-based system that beat humans in a debating competition. Of course, there are some problems with the test format to consider.

// Smart Homes and Buildings //

Vivint has announced that all its smart home products are now integrated with Google Assistant. Vivint has been quietly plugging away at this market for some time now.

Marriott International has announced that it has partnered with Amazon, to provide guests access to Alexa throughout its hotels – including customer service functions.

August and Alarm.com have partnered, integrating the two platforms to boost the security of a home that uses both, adding new features for users to enjoy.

IHS Markitreports that very few smart speaker digital assistants are being used for home automation, and that 23% of respondents owned both an Amazon Echo and a Google Home.

EE has launched a new smart home offering, with the UK MNO (now owned by BT) partnering with Hive and Nest to offer bundled services. Rival O2 failed in SHaaS.

// Automotive //

Kamaz, a Russian truck maker, is demonstrating driverless electric buses at the World Cup, moving passengers 650 meters from a fan zone to the Kazan arena. It is being very cautious.

Tesla says it has suffered “extensive and damaging sabotage,” according to its CEO. Musk says an upset employee also leaked data to competitors. Here are two updates.

Iteris has won a five-year $19.5m contract for its Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) services, from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

Sprint has launched a connected car telematics and in-car WiFi platform, and has partnered with NXM Labs to use its blockchain technologies to provide security.

Uber’s test driver, Rafaela Vasquez, involved in the fatal collision, was potentially watching Hulu video content on a smartphone at the time of the crash.

// Security //

INSINIA has discussed an attack on a industrial SCADA system that could sniff networks and trigger commands – costing a company £1.6m with only four lines of code.

Radware warns that a new Mirai-based Satori botnet variant has appeared, delivering a previosuly unseen payload through a new worm-style propagation technique.

// Smart Grid & Utility //

Ameren has picked Tendril to deploy its customer behavioural insight system, to monitor usage and provide better home energy reports – in partnership with Leidos.

Itron has launched a new smart gas meter, called the Intelis, with support for its OpenWay Riva and Gen5 IoT networks – it plans to move to Wi-SUN and claims a 20-year battery.

Tesla is downsizing its solar panel production, as well as ending its sales partnership with Home Depot, as part of a wider cost-cutting program – raising doubts on its solar plans.

The Bloomberg New Energy Finance report has been published, which predicts that renewables will comprise 50% of global energy supply by 2050, with global investments in battery capacity reaching $548bn – two thirds of which are grid-scale.

// Health //

MIT and Brigham researchers have demonstrated a passive-RFID system to power implanted medical devices, which would remove the need for batteries.

Asus has unveiled its VivoWatch BP, which can read blood pressures in 15 seconds apparently, with a ‘HealthAI’ algorithm to provide personalized alerts.